Around 2,000 migrants set out in a caravan from southern Mexico Saturday in the hopes of reaching the United States amid pressure from Washington to impede migrant arrivals that has made obtaining permission to pass through Mexico increasingly difficult.

Many of the migrants who departed from Tapachula, Chiapas early in the morning had been waylaid in the city just north of Guatemala for weeks or months, awaiting residency or transit papers from Mexican authorities. The migrants are originally from Central America, Africa and the Caribbean. They left their home countries sometimes because of violence, or simply in search of a better life.

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A migrant checks the diaper of a young child alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Around 2,000 migrants set out in a caravan from southern Mexico Saturday in the hopes of reaching the United States amid pressure from Washington to impede migrant arrivals that has made obtaining permission to pass through Mexico increasingly difficult.
Migrants with bags of belongings walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Hundreds of African migrants, in particular, have been stuck for months in Tapachula, where they say immigration authorities have stalled on giving them residency or transit papers. Almost all of them want to seek asylum in the United States, rather than stay in Mexico.
Migrants take a break and check their bags alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas sate, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

However, deportations are more difficult for migrants from faraway countries in Africa, some of which lack the infrastructure to handle repatriations.
Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)
Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)
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A migrant checks the diaper of a young child alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Around 2,000 migrants set out in a caravan from southern Mexico Saturday in the hopes of reaching the United States amid pressure from Washington to impede migrant arrivals that has made obtaining permission to pass through Mexico increasingly difficult.

Migrants with bags of belongings walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Hundreds of African migrants, in particular, have been stuck for months in Tapachula, where they say immigration authorities have stalled on giving them residency or transit papers. Almost all of them want to seek asylum in the United States, rather than stay in Mexico.

Migrants take a break and check their bags alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas sate, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

However, deportations are more difficult for migrants from faraway countries in Africa, some of which lack the infrastructure to handle repatriations.

Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

So far, Mexican authorities have not attempted to block the advance of the group, which by midday was trudging along a highway toward Arriaga under the supervision of human rights officials and federal police.

A migrant checks the diaper of a young child alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

A migrant checks the diaper of a young child alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Hundreds of African migrants, in particular, have been stuck for months in Tapachula, where they say immigration authorities have stalled on giving them residency or transit papers. Almost all of them want to seek asylum in the United States, rather than stay in Mexico.

The migrants have engaged in scuffles with police at the Tapachula immigration offices in recent weeks. Mexico says they can stay in southern Mexico, or leave by the southern border, but the migrants want documents that will allow them to reach the northern border.

Mexico frequently repatriates, by plane, migrants from countries such as Cuba and Honduras.

Migrants with bags of belongings walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants with bags of belongings walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

However, deportations are more difficult for migrants from faraway countries in Africa, some of which lack the infrastructure to handle repatriations.

Migrants take a break and check their bags alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas sate, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants take a break and check their bags alongside the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla near Tapachula, Chiapas sate, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)
Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants sit on a truck as they depart early in the morning in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

 Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)

Migrants walk down the Highway 200 en route to Huixtla early in the morning near Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Saturday Oct. 12, 2019. Migrants from Africa, Cuba, Haiti, and other Central American countries set off early morning by foot from Tapachula to the southern border of the United States. (AP PhotoIsabel Mateos)